Draft-controlling device for heaters



. c. B. BURKE. 7 DRAFT CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR HEATERS. I

APPLICATION FILED 'Au'e.24, 920.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET u.

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

WITNESSES.-

C. B. BURKE.

DRAFT CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR HEATERS;

. APPLICATION FILED AUG.24| I920. 11,375,248. Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

I 2- SHEE] $-$HEET 2- I v 'INVENTOR. ClazWBBur/Yk WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

@{NETEE STATES cLAnnncn B. minim, or rnymou'i i r ivinntuiire, e'mnweyrvmni.

nnnrr-con'rnonmne Device tort HnA'rnRsI' Specification of Letters Yate'n't. V Patented Agar. I9 I921.

Application filed August 24, 1920. Serial naqioae'as.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CLARENCE B. BURKE, a citizen of Canada, (having declared his intentions of becoming a citizen of the United States,) residing at Plymouth Meeting, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Control ling Devices for Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide improved means which will be automatically operative at any predetermined time to open the draft of a heater so as to cause the fire to burn up. For example my improved device is particularly of advantage for use in connection with residences, factories or other places where a banked fire is maintained during the night and it is de sired to have the fire burn up ata predetermined time in the morning. 2

Another object is to make the device of my invention of a comparatively simple construction so that it can be readily attached to steam and hot water heaters of various types.

Another object is to make the device of my invention of a durable construction and so that it will not readily get out of order. 7 These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, 1 attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a heater having a device of my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view showin a weight clock arranged in accordance witi my invention and which will be movable at any predetermined time along a fulcrumed lever to eflect the operation of the draftcontrolling dampers so as to cause the fire within the heater to quickly burn up,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3 showing the fulcrumedlever in transverse section, and

Fig. 5 is a face view of the weight clock and illustrating the opposite side of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 6 represents a heater which may be of any type employing a damper or door 7 which is pivotally mounted at 8 in the usual manner and when opened is adapted to admit air under the grate. A. smoke pipe 9 leads out of the fur being closed by a shutter 11.

nace and is of any of the usual constructions adapted to be connected with the chimney for the purpose of conducting the products of combustion to the chimney and this smoke pipe has an opening 10 capable of The smoke pipe also includes a damper 12 which is operated therein and has a portion 13 extending outside of the smoke pipe topermit the chamber to be moved either transversely or longitudinally of the smoke pipe as is the usual custom.

My invention is shownin' connection with a diaphragm casing 14 of the thermo-acti-ng type which may be of any of the usual constructions and which has an upwardly projecting arm 15 to which is pivoteda lever 16. The diaphragmcasing has a rod 17' which leads inwardly to a diaphragm (not illustrated) and this rod 17 is pivotally connected to the lever '16 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The elements thus far specifically mentioned do not by themselves form a part of my present invention since they may be the elements employed in connection with heaters for actuating the dampers due to the variation of heat within the heater. For example the lever 16 may be connected as in the usual manner with the various dampers and shutters of the heater so that an action of the diaphragm will move the lever on the arm 15 as a fulcrum to effect the opening and closing of the various parts to cut off or open the draft.

I employ the lever 16 however in another capacity now to be described. I mount upon the lever 16 what I term a weight clock 18. This clock in the design illustrated includes a bifurcated portion 19 at its bottom which provides an upwardly extending notch 20 through which the lever 16 extends and in making this clock I may employ mechanism such for example as employed in an ordinary alarm clock which after being set will effect the rotation of a shaft 20 at a predetermined time. This shaft 20 is usually employed for the connection of the winding key and as illustrated I have shown the'shaft 20 in a similar capacity. I attach a gear wheel 21 to the shaft 20 and cause this gear wheel 21 to mesh with two other gear wheels 22 and 23' as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The gears 22 and 23 are connected to axles 24 and 25 respectively which have rollers 26 and 27 connected thereto; said rollers being adapted to roll upon the up per edge of the lever 16 and also serve to support the weight of the clock. The clock 18 is positioned as shown in Fig. 2 at one side of the pivotal connection 28 of the lever 16 with the arm 15 and at the opposite side of the pivot 28 1 preferably mount a counter-balance weight 29 so that under normal conditions the lever 16 will be balanced and 1 connect one end of the lever 16 with theshutter 11 and damper 12 by means of chains ,30 and 31 or other suitable con- 1 necting means. The opposite end of the lethat under normal conditions, for example when the fire has been banked for the night, that thedoor 7 is closed, the damper 12 is nearly closed and the shutter 18 is open so that the draft through the smoke pipe will take'air in through the opening 10 instead of causing the draft to entirely pass through the heater. 1 also preferably provide a stop 83 on the lever 16 for the purpose of abutment with the clock 18, and the counterweight 29 and stop 33 are adjustably mounted so that they can be moved and secured into various positions along the lever.

The weight clock having been set to cause the rotation of the shaft at a predetermined time and' positioned on the lever 16 as above described will, when the shaft 20 starts to rotate, move along the lever 16 toward the stop 83 and thereby effect the overloalancing of the lever 16 so as to permit the shutter 11 to be closed and the damper 12 to move into a position parallel with the smoke pipe 9, and the chain 32 will be pulled to open the door 7 and in this manner the draft will be completed through the heater to cause the fire to burn up quickly. The handle portion 13 of the damper 12 may be 'weighted so that when the chains and 31 are slack that the damper will be moved into the position just described.

The stop 33 serves as an abutment and prevents the clock from falling off the end of the lever, 16. It will be noted that when the shaft 20 rotates'as above described, the gear 21 will be rotated and this gear will rotate the gears 22 and23 and since the gears 22 and 23 are connected to the rollers 26 and 27, the latter will roll upon the top edge of the lever 16 and carry the clock as above described.

While 1 have described my invention as including a lever which is connected to a diaphragm, it will be noted that my invention is operative on heaters not employing diaphragms or thermo-acting regulating means since it is'merely necessary to provide anysuitable pivotal support for a lever such as the lever 16 and to include the weight clock thereon as above described.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of my invention may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do notlimit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that 1 am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device ofthe character described in cluding a lever operative when overbalanced to open the draft of a heater; and a clock operative at a predetermined time to move along said lever to over-balance the same and effect said draft; substantially as described.

2. A device of the character described in: cluding a balanced lever. operative when overhalanced to open the-draft of a heater, a portion of the balancing means of said lever being movable by clock mechanism along said'lever to overbalance the latter whereby said draft is effected; substantially as described.

3. A device of the character described in eluding a pivoted lever; means connecting said lever with the draft controlling parts of heater; means for balancing said lever when said controlling parts are in a position for cutting oil the major portion of the draft; and means movable along said lever by clock work mechanism whereby said latter means will overbalance said lever and automatically cause said controlling parts of the heater to be moved into a position to effect an increased draft through the heater; substantially as described.

4 A device of the character described including a pivoted lever; means connecting said lever with the draft controlling parts of a heater; and a. weight clock mounted on said lever and including means adapted at a predetermined time to effect movement of said weight clock upon said lever to move said lever on its pivot and thereby cause said controlling parts of the heater to be moved into a position to effect an increased draft through the heater; substantiallyas described;

In testimony whereofv I havesigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE E. BURKE. Witnesses:

CHARLEs A. HUNsBERcEn, MARY E. KIRK. 

